CrazyFly Sculp 9m 2013
Reviews / Kites
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At A Glance
CrazyFly have been in the kite industry for a long time, but they are predominantly remembered for making boards rather than kites. Their first range of kites was launched in 2011; the Sculp was one of three kites they released. 2013 sees the Sculp revamped and re-launched as a do-it-all machine that can handle whatever you can throw at it. One thing that has improved a lot is the build quality, while it was always good the quality of components now being used is very high, Ronstan pulleys on the bridle and a new One-Pump system that does away with the cable ties and uses a rubber flange to connect the hoses which can’t, of course, damage your kite. The shape is a very flat delta design with a scalloped trailing edge that gives it quite a high aspect look in the air. Just three struts to keep things simple and plenty of reinforcement in all the right areas.
The Bar
This is a real work of art; we were blown away by the new chicken loop release system. Dubbed the SICK Bar for Simple and Clean, the loop release is one of the simplest we have ever come across to put back together, it also releases with ease under load. Watch the video to see exactly how simple it is. The release is backed up with integrated bar floats; moveable stopper ball and a clam cleat trim system situated above the bar. The bar itself is made from carbon, what else would you expect from the masters of this material who have been using carbon to make their boards since the very beginning? The entire package is really well thought out and definitely worth a look if you get to see one in the flesh.
In The Air
The 2013 Sculp is a very stable kite; it is intuitive to fly and works perfectly right out of the bag. In the air the flat profile makes it look quite large, and this large projected surface area generates a lot of low-end power. Combined with its fast turning characteristics the low end of the Sculp is very impressive indeed. The high aspect nature of the profile also allows it to fly forward in the window as the wind picks up, and this enables it to have a very good top end range too. The simple bridle set-up with the pulleys allows for a very responsive depower of the kite, and the direct connection to the trailing edge makes the Sculp feel snappy in the turns. It does accelerate through the power band though and generates more power as it speeds up through the window. Once you’ve got used to the kite it’s really intuitive to fly. Hangtime is excellent and the flat canopy profile makes for some floaty airs too. Ideally suited to the freerider out there looking for a ‘one kite does it all’ machine, the easy re-launch will also make it perfect for beginners, as will the simple bridle and bar set-up.
Overall
A well made, fun to fly, all-round machine from CrazyFly, the new SICK Bar is brilliant and one of the best chicken loop releases we have seen. Perfect for the rider looking for a do-it-all kite, or even the learners out there looking at getting into kitesurfing.
Videos
This review was in Issue 36 of IKSURFMAG.
For more information visit CrazyFlyRelated
By Rou Chater
Rou has been kiting since the sports inception and has been working as an editor and tester for magazines since 2004. He started IKSURFMAG with his brother in 2006 and has tested hundreds of different kites and travelled all over the world to kitesurf. He's a walking encyclopedia of all things kite and is just as passionate about the sport today as he was when he first started!
